


Option-less

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-03-14
Updated: 2002-03-14
Packaged: 2019-05-15 19:39:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14796683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: Josh weighs his options.





	Option-less

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**Option-less**

**by:** Evelyn 

**Category/Pairing:** Josh/Donna  
**Rating: YTEEN**  
**Summary:** A sequel to "Options", "More Options" and "Option-al". Josh weighs his options.  
**Notes:** Special thanks to Shelley, for her continuing encouragement.  


When I was in seventh grade, I hadn't hit my growth spurt, which basically meant that when face-to-face with the dream girl of my life, Jennifer Stevens, it was actually my face-to-her breast since she was four inches taller than me. This wasn't a totally bad scenario on my part, but clearly just embarrassed the young lady in question. What can I tell you about Jennifer? Only that every boy in the junior high school salivated over her, but that she chose Jimmy, The Tree, Clark. Yes, The Tree nickname referred to his height, since at 13 he was already almost 6 feet tall. Frankly, I thought the name referred to his intelligence, because he was just about as dense as a redwood. 

Anyway, it was real obvious that I'd never beat Jimmy to the basket or to the girl unless I had a plan. So I considered my options. My first choice was to grow. I'd read that you could use gravity to your advantage to help speed the process, so I decided that I would devote an hour a day to hanging upside down. That activity ground quickly to a halt when my mother found me dangling from one of the water pipes in the basement and screamed, "Joshua Lyman, what in God's name do you think you're doing. Get down from there." So my career in the NBA was curtailed before it could even begin.

I decided that I needed to focus on what I could do that The Tree could not, and suddenly the light bulb went on. I could use the brains God gave me in abundance to make up for what I lacked in height. So when Mr. Gordon, our Social Studies teacher, assigned us to work in pairs on a research project, I shyly suggested to Jennifer that she might want to hook up with me and do a report on John F. Kennedy. Well, Jennifer might not have been the sharpest tool in the box, but she was smart enough to recognize a straight-A student when she saw one. And by the end of two weeks, the following was true. Jennifer had received the first A in her school career; I had my first girlfriend; and I also had the biggest shiner in Wellwood Junior High School history courtesy of when The Tree kicked my butt from here to kingdom come.

Jennifer, rushing to play supportive girlfriend, arrived at my house the next day with a plate full of brownies. We chatted while I quickly scarfed down three of those delicious morsels with a tall glass of milk. But as the minutes ticked by, I heard Jennifer ask me if I was feeling alright, and to be honest, I really didn't. My eyes had begun to water, my throat felt scratchy and tight, and I started to blow up like a Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloon. The next thing I remember is my mom rushing into the room asking Jennifer what was in the brownies, and hearing something about chocolate and walnuts. The trip to the emergency room was nothing less than terrifying and humiliating. At the end of the day, I was uncomfortable and girlfriend-less. That set the record, as yet unbroken, for how fast a girl can break up with Joshua Lyman.

Now, more than 25 years later, I know if I just use those same brain cells that helped me in the past, I can develop some options to snare the beautiful Donnatella Moss. The beautiful and slightly weird Donnatella Moss. She's been acting funny all week. Every morning she's brought in some delicious home-baked goodie. Although I don't know when or why she decided to become Betty Crocker, it's been nice to start off my mornings with a sweet treat. That first day, I found two delicious chocolate chip cookies, although a little coffee to go with them wouldn't have hurt.

The next morning, I found a clean desk and a linzer tart that was sweet, but tart - kind of reminded me of well, you know. 

I wonder what's on the menu for today. Oh good, chocolate brownies.   



End file.
